Toothbrush cover



Dec. 20, 1927. 1,553,540

T. W. BIGONEY TOOIHBRUSH COVER Filed 001;. 5 1926 INVENTOR. W wfii -mfi I Y B I MW j ATTORNEYS.

'4 20 be inserts Patented net. 20,192; 7

PATENT OFFICE.

-' UNITED STATES THQIAS W. BIGONEY, OF PHILADELPHIA, rmmmvame.

TOOTHBBUSE COVER.

Application and October a, 1926. serial 10.189388. I

ical efl'ectiveness will,.by reason of certain qualities inherent in the device, he instrumental in inducing the-average-user of the brush to regularly employ the device to keep the brush protected from contaminating contacts between periods oi'use. In In improved construction I use a sheath-like cover of thin material such, for instance as celluloid, which fits snugly over the head 15' enclose the bristle portion. Thus the part of the brush which is. laced inthe mouth when brushing the test is rotected from contact with germ laden sur aces and from dust and germs in the 'air. The brush may in its protecting device by a sinwhen thus inserted forcible rela thrusting motion, and is automatically secured until its moval. v

The matrix form of the cover, that is to say, the visual and tactual efiect, is in each case determined by the form of the bristles and the back of the brush with which the cover is to be used. The form of the cover is made to conform to the bristle portion of w the brush, and thus constitutes a sheath or envelope representing a hollow counterpart 1n relatlon to its respective brush. In each proximately the of the head of the brush. 4 v Because of this structural feature there canbe no doubt as to the purpose or manner I of use of the cover, and by reason of the similarity in shape of thecover and the brush head, a powerful psychological, suggestion is made to bring the two parts toether, which thus to a very great degree insures the replacing of the brushwithin the cover after t e brush has been used. The shape of the cover enables it to be placed in position on the brush head by the sense of touch alone, and without visual inspection of the cover to make sure that it is turned to the proper position before the brush is inserted.

As the cover, when in place on the brush, leaves its handle free and does not appreciably increase its bulk or materially change its contours, the whole may be hung up by the handle, laid on a shelf or laced in a receptacle just as the user has een accusturned to do with the naked brush. 'Thus the user is not moved to neglect the use of the cover because of interference with his habit- In t iustrated several forms which my invention 'in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

of the brush so asto practically. Figs. 5, 6 and 7 areside, to plan and in Figs. 13, 14 and .15..

ual toothbrush procedure almost invariably the case'with box-like or cylin- 'drical }protective devices. e accompanying drawings I have ilmay assume, whereb the sheath .or coveris adapted for vuse wit forms of brushes. In these drawings:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are'side perspective views res ectivey of one form of cover with the bl'llfil inserted therein.

Fi 4 is an end spective views respectively 0 of cover and brush.

Fi 8 is an end view. of the cover shownin Figs. 5, 6 and 7.

Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are longitudinal section,

different shapes and.

top plan, an

view of the cover shown I I to; another form;

bottom plan and perspective views rezpectivelyof another form of cover and bru Fig. 12 in Figs. 9, 10 and 11. Figs. 13, 14 and 15 are side, bottom'plan and }perspective views respectively of .a' fourt 'form of cover and brush, and

Fig. 16 is an end view oi the cover show In each of these embodiments the brush is is an end view of the cover shown retained within its cover by reason' of the matrix or form-fitting qualities of the latter case a portion, that is a lower two thirds of the nt end wall, is omitted to 'form an opening through which the bristle portion of. the brush may be thrust by flexing the bristles. The case may be molded or otherwise formed of celluloid or any. other suitable material as long as its matrix shape is preserved. ,The walls may be comparativel thin and substantially rigid, although 0 viously they may be slightly flexible.

In the form shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the shape of the tooth brush selected, by way of example, is such that the complemental art in this instance'is a sheath or casing 0 an openlng at one end to receive the head of the brush. The casing includes a body portion 10 which is adapted to substantially conform to the bristle portion. Adjacent to substantially tubular iorm with one side 11, the casing is slightly wider to provide side grooves 12 adapted to receive the edges of the back of the brush. The side wall 13 opposite to the sidewall 11 substantially follows the contour of the ends of the bristles. The opening 14 at one end of the casing extends from the wall 11 up approximately two thirds of the distance to the wall 13; and beyond this opening is an inwardly directed wall which serves to engage with. the rear end of the bristle portion to hold the wardly to the inner end of the wall 15 so as to deflect the bristles as the brush is inserted. The end opposite to the opemng 14 s also has a transverse groove to receive the extreme end of the back of the brush, so that the entire casing substantially'conforms to the head of the brush. This end wall 18 19 to facilitate the may have an openin drying of the brush i the latter be inserted while wet.

- In Figs. 5' to 8. inclusive, a. tooth brush is shown of a. different shape from that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 andhence requiring a different matrix to conform to the contour of the surface formed by the brush head comprised of the back portion and inset bristles. Preferably the neck portion 16" is inthe form of a short extension of the back of the cover with two side walls curving upwardly and merging into the relatively short end wall 15.

In the form shown in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive, the neck portion is entirely omitted. In this form I have shown anadditional means for retaining the brush in roper position in the casing. The back we provided with a boss or projection 20 adapted to enter a corresponding depression in the surface'of the head of the brush. Obviousl this same retaining means might be emp eyed in connection with the other two forms hereinbefore described.

. The form shown in Figs. 13 to 16 inclusive is similar in most respects to that shown in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive except that the neck portion 16 iscontracted adjacent tothe lower wall 11 so as to form a pair of oppositely disposed inwardly directed bosses 21 which may engage with the edges of the handle of the brush at a point spaced a short distance from the end. of the head of the brush. The material forming the sheath is suficiently flexible and resilient so that these bosses 21 may-be spread apart durin the insertion or remova of the brush an will serve to grip the sides of the handle and form auxiliary means for holding the brush in place. If desired, the bottom wall 11 along the neck portion clti may be longitudinally slitted to permit of the desired spreading action.

Generically the device of the present invention is not limited to any particular shape and where throughout the foregoing reference is made to grooves and flared neck portions it is to be understood that these appear only because the shape of the brush is such asto require their formation to produce the desired matrix-like form. Thus while several different shaped brushes are shown, each with its different shaped cover, it will be apparent-there are an endless number of different, shaped brushes upon the market and each in accordance with the present. invention must have its particular cover so that when the two are assembled the brush will fit as though molded into its cover. When the cover and brush are separated there is a'powerful p chological sug-.

gestion to replace the brus -head or male member within its cover or female counterpart, and this is a wide distinction from the ordinary brush cover which'is' merely a receptacle receiving the brush loosely therein 'and lacking any suggestion of fitting or being a com onent part of the brush. Furthermore the cover being molded to conform to the contours of the brush ensures an automatic interlocking of the two parts so that it is impossible for the cover to drop off of the brush or become accidentally disengaged therefrom. Also, this complemental interfittin of the brush and cover produces a visual e ect which is of great value in achieving the objects of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim .as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A tooth brush protective device comprising'a casing internall shaped as a matrix to conform to the contour of the head and bristles of a tooth brush, said contour characteristically deviating from simple rectilinear shape, said casing having an end opening for the passage of the brush head 'therethrough.

2. A tooth brush protective device com' prising in combination a tooth brush and a casing, said casing in assembled condition having contact relation with practically all portions of the brush head and bristles said contact relation serving normally to hold the combination in assembled condition by reason of the frictional resistance of the parts to distortion.

3. In combination with a tooth brush, a protective device composed of relatively thin material such as celluloid, said protective device forming mechanically, a hollow coun terpart of the brush-head and visually a replica of the same the mechanical relation of the parts serving to hold them in combination and the visual relation of the same facilitating their proper assemblage.

4. The combination with a tooth brush of a protective enclosure composed of relatively thin material such as celluloid, the walls tion or withdrawal of the outer limits of practically all parts of the said brush-head, said enclosure having aperture means allowing the forcible inserthe brush-head by flexure of the arts. v

. 5. A tooth rush "protective dev'ice comprising in combination a tooth brush and an.

enclosure for the bristle containing portion thereof, said enclosure having internal proportions corresponding practically throughout to the external proportions of the said brush-headsuch correspondence constitutin 15 a means for normally retaining the sai brush-head within the said enclosure when ..'the two are in assembled condition and until forcible separation b flexure of the pants.

Signed at Philade phia in the county of 80 Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,

this second day of October, A. D. 1926.

I THOMAS W. BIGONEY. 

